Though you might think writing about yourself would be a snap, for many people it’s surprisingly difficult. How do you showcase the essence of who you are and what you do in a way that sounds professional yet not “sales-y”? How do you keep it from being a yawn that will cause a reader’s eyes to glaze over?
Here Are Five Tips For Building A Better Professional Bio:
1. Lead with locale
This LinkedIn Top Voice, who starts his bio with the Jamaican equivalent of “What’s Up,” lets readers know where he’s from before weaving into a subtle Oprah nod. Classy!
Christopher Roy Galand of Botswana does something similar in his profile, which says he’s a businessman based in Gaborone, Botswana, before delving into his financial planning and investment consulting background.
Geography forges an immediate connection with others who live or work in your location — especially if it’s their country of origin.
2. Think outside the job title
Yes, you should use your professional name and job title for a professional bio — unless everyone knows you by a different name. For example, if you’re a successful doctor whose given name is Horace Dodger, but all your patients refer to you as Slim because that was your college nickname when you won a baseball championship at UCLA (Los Angeles being home to the Dodgers baseball team), it makes sense to capitalize on this. Slim Dodger, MD, works in such an instance.
With a catchy name, people tend to remember, you’ll always be batting a thousand.
3. Tag it!
Tagging is popular on social media as a way for others to find your post because they’re searching for those particular keywords. The same holds true for a professional bio. If you’re known by a certain handle, online or in person, think about using it as part of your professional title. For example: Jim Smart, The web design guy.
Bestselling author and speaker Sam Horn (that’s her real name) once wrote a book called Tongue Fu!, which also made a terrific tagline. Her latest? “Talking on Eggshells.” Who can resist — or forget — tags like these?
4. Go for the goal
Consider the purpose of the business bio you’re crafting. Does it make sense to focus on your goals and objectives? These can be personal or professional goals, as long as they align with your bio overall.
A goal might be your commitment to being of service to the community, or your passion for bringing clean water to underserved areas in developing nations. Think about the tagline and keywords you’re using to describe yourself and what you do and align your goal statement with these terms.
5. Highlight the hot stuff
Your bio is telling a story, with the end result of getting hired, either for a full-time job or, if you’re an entrepreneur, by a new client. What’s the connecting link? If you’re a former ice hockey star and your business is selling skating equipment, obviously focusing on your ice hockey career highlights is crucial. The same holds true if you’re now involved in sports in some other capacity.
But if ice hockey is simply a hobby? Whether and to what degree you mention it in your bio depends on whom you most want to attract professionally. Most people like to know what others do in their spare time; it humanizes us and provides talking points. So if competitive swimming is your jam but your business is real estate, it still might make good sense to mention your hobby — especially if you’re selling luxury homes with lap pools.
You can also weave your professional title and hobbies together in a way that speaks to your core audience, as does this fellow who calls himself, “a hipster lumberjack banjo-playing restaurant owner.” The Midwest locals can relate, and it draws them in.
Allow your creative side to inform your business self, and you’ll write a better bio that wows readers and builds your reputation.
